Lent

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts 40 days until Easter. The 40 days are symbolic. Tradition holds that Christ himself was in the desert for 40 days before the start of his ministry. The Jewish people journeyed for 40 years to the promised land. The Gospel of Luke describes there being 40 generations from the creation until the advent of Christ. St. Gregory the Great taught that the Ten Commandments were fulfilled/multiplied by the Four Gospels and that we rightly offer a tenth of the year to God.

This journey of purification and enlightenment toward the waters of baptism recalls the People of God’s journey from Egypt to the river of Jordan and their entering into the Promised Land. In the early church, at the start of the catechumenate, participants were signed with salt, so also the entire community recalls their journey toward full initiation and is signed with ashes. At the end of this period we enter the promised land of Full Communion with the Church.

Traditionally, these ashes are made from the burned palm leaves from the previous year that were once fresh and green and now dry. When signed with ashes on the forehead it is stated that “you are dust and to dust you shall return.” In this way, we begin anew in humility, and we renew our commitment to live out our baptism with prayer, fasting and alms-giving. This also recalls the Signing of the Senses we received at the beginning of this journey.

​The period of purification and enlightenment for those seeking initiation gave rise to the period of lent. Lent is the time for the whole community to participate in this call to deeper conversion and to share with the elect in their preparation to enter the promised land of full communion. We do not join in their celebration of Lent for the first time. Lent is what we call the participation of those already initiated when they share in our period Purification and Enlightenment.